knight_rider

All do respect V-Time, while the girls you mentioned are nice players, I don't think they are Adidas All-Americans and are being recruited by SEC and Big 12 schools. By looking at their roster, I'll bet Shimmy is strictly looking at post players now that she has the two '07 guards that are commited.

Reports on the east side say 6-1 guard Lauren Woods out of Belleville East has given Shimmy a verbal. It's said she was also being pursued heavily by Kansas, Oregon State, and Texas Tech after a breakout July. Lauren would join Tatiana Ortiz out of Chicago who verballed earlier this year. Ortiz was one of the top players at the Adidas All-American Top-Ten camp this July. Those two, combined with Shimmy's '06 class, is quite a collection of impressive talent. If Shimmy could get Shakara Jones, this would be quite an '07 class. Supposedly Pat Summitt was in town last week to watch Shakara play, so Shimmy has her work cut out for her. I would think if Shakara went to Tennessee, she would have to sit a year or two as compared to staying home and establishing herself immediately in a program on the verge of making history.

Came out of today's Peoria Journal Star - about half way down there is a reference to Alex Tyus. St. Joseph playmaker picks Illini McCamey makes choice after blue-chip teammate commits to Ohio State Advertisement Saturday, July 1, 2006 BY BILL LIESSE OF THE JOURNAL STAR Illinois was excited to learn Friday of its first-ever recruit from the high school basketball powerhouse of Westchester St. Joseph. The problem for the Illini coaching staff is they expected two. Demetri McCamey, a 6-foot-3 point guard for legendary coach Gene Pingatore, gave the Illini an oral commitment Friday to become the fourth Class of 2007 recruit for Illinois coach Bruce Weber. But a McCamey teammate, swingman Evan Turner, shocked the college recruiting world Thursday night when he became the latest gem hauled in by Ohio State coach Thad Matta. Both are Top 100 players nationally by virtually all recruiting services, with Turner a hotter target. Rated No. 23 among all 2007 players by Rivals.com, Turner was presumed to be leaning heavily toward Illinois. "As a result, 'Illinois Prep Bulls-eye' views the Turner commitment as the biggest surprise in terms of timing since Julian Wright announced for Kansas (in 2004) without ever visiting the campus," scouts Roy and Harv Schmidt wrote in citing their own publication. DePaul, Iowa and Wisconsin joined Illinois and Ohio State as longtime Turner suitors, Pingatore said Friday night, with Duke and Florida showing recent interest. The Schmidts said Turner clearly ranks as the second-best prospect in Illinois from the class of 2007, behind universal No. 1 Derrick Rose of Chicago Simeon. Peoria-based talent evaluator Bill "Flash" Flanagan ranks Turner as the No. 2 incoming senior in Illinois, with McCamey seventh. Several outlets reported Turner called Matta on Thursday night to commit. Many believe the about-face was because of a visit to Columbus this weekend from another small forward, Alex Tyus of Cincinnati. Tyus, originally from Missouri, is believed to be choosing between OSU and Florida, with Illinois running third. McCamey is a thick guard who has drawn comparisons to former Manual and Illinois player Sergio McClain and whose stock has risen in the last several months. "McCamey is an outstanding athlete with a strong upper body and an explosive first step," the Schmidts wrote Friday on their Web site. "He has the ability to take over games, which is a big reason he has ascended in the national rankings. While McCamey still needs to learn to play under control at all times, there is no question he has all the makings of being a dynamic player in the Big Ten." McCamey joins Richwoods' Bill Cole, Riverton 7-footer Mike Tisdale and the jewel of the class, Indianapolis guard Eric Gordon, in Weber's 2007 haul. Topping the list of a coveted fifth member would be Rose. McCamey, ranked 51st nationally by Rivals and 81st by Scout.com, will attend the ABCD camp in New Jersey this week along with Gordon. Cole, Tisdale and Rose are expected at Nike Camp in Indianapolis. "I've never had a point guard who was 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds,'' Pingatore said. "He does some unbelievable things. He has all the skills, the intangibles ... the other thing he has is the tangibles.'' McCamey lists Illini sophomore Jamar Smith of Peoria among his best friends and said he has long known incoming big man Brian Carlwell of Maywood Proviso East. The first Illinois recruit from St. Joe's in Pingatore's 37 seasons calls himself a lifelong fan of the Illini. "It's one of the places he always had a desire to go, but they really didn't offer him (a scholarship) until recently,'' Pingatore said. "If that didn't happen, he very easily could have gone to Indiana or Michigan. "It always comes down to people. The schools are all great, so it gets down to relationships. I know he liked Bruce, so it was a matter of him waiting for them to make an offer.'' Pingatore also said DePaul and Wake Forest were on McCamey's short list.

I am a self-proclaimed idiot when it comes to soccer knowledge, but I will throw this observation out, nontheless. The USA is SOFT! We live in this great country and basically do not want for anything as compared to most other countries. We are spoiled, pampered, and mentally weak when faced with adversity. These teams physically took it right to us and we looked like the neighbor's dog running home with it's tail between it's legs after it got scratched by the back-alley cat. Oh, how I long for toughness as represented by General Patton. He may have been a pompous ass, but he wasn't scared to go to battle! Get rid of the lady analyst off ESPN as well!

Not only did she get Lisch in her first class, plus add size to an inherited small team, she already has a commitment in the '07 class who turned down Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin. I would say Shimmy and staff can recruit with the best of them, for the resources they are given.

Obie showed more mobility than this past season, but he certainly needs to lose another 10 lbs. He did hit a few of the three's, but would like to see how he does catching at 17' and taking a bigger post to the rack. On this particular day I watched, it was the Tommie highlight show on one team, and the Kevin all-around solid floor game on the other team. Honestly, Kevin made D. Miles look very good considering the pro's lack of effort.

J.J. is back for one more year and Bryce has had his right leg in a boot for the last ten days. Something about his ankle not being strong, which translates into him not being able to workout or play. I've heard he only gets rehab three days a week. D. Miles was in the house this week playing and didn't look good trying to guard Obie, who shot a ton of three's. Miles was giving much effort.

A source close to the administration mentioned that the coaches, staff, and administration in West Pine raised over $12,000.00 in the last ten days, with 100% participation. If this is true, Larry should be happy that he still retains his milking skills.

Don't we have a strength coach in the bottom of West Pine? Doesn't Tom Kelso work with our basketball programs? I thought he was recently awarded some national recognition for his expertise!? If we have a strength coach, why would our athletes go elsewhere?

Coach Thorpe talking to 6-6 playa's in the halls of West Pine!

Leon and Co.

Did anyone see a couple player's from the V working out with Kevin Lisch in West Pine?

Can Shimmy get the women's program to a consistent respectability year-in, year-out? Does anyone think she can get the support in the city to start keeping the best players home?

It will be interesting to watch Shimmy's diaper-dandies next year. They say that game will be on the deuce. This past weekend, Theresa Lisch led an AAU team to a 4-0 record in Chicago, scoring 34 in a game over an Oklahoma recruit. I heard Shakara Jones played with her. Could Shimmy keep Shak home and away from dad's alma-mater, Mizzou?

Look a little closer, the article was focusing on softball.

The way I heard it was that C.L. is fighting for the coaches, but Biondi does not see the need for cell phones. Supposedly Brad has to use camp funds and the women are on their own due to their camp not being built yet. One of the coaches I was around refused to make a comment either way.

You're right on par! Until we have people at the top who see the value of a nationally prominent athletic program assisitng the overall success of the University, we will flounder in mediocrity. Mr. Biondi does not posses that type of vision: (why don't we plant and re-plant flowers five times per year instead of paying for our coach's cell-phones) Just found out this past Monday at the golf-outing that we are probably the only University in the top ten conferences which make both basketball staff's pay for their own cell-phones. Not that our coach's need to be on them talking to recruits or anything. Sometimes, I just don't get it. Expect our coaches to put us in the dance, but not give them the resources.

Congrats Shimmy and staff!

Would have been a McDonald's All-American, but the person here in town that is the director of the midwest, never went to watch her play! That's OK though, this family is not big into hype.

Theresa earns the honor of Illinois Miss Basketball, beating out Oklahoma recruit Amanda Thompson out of Chicago. Keep up the good work Shimmy!

Congrats to the Lisch Family. Also congrats to Shimmy Gray and staff. Theresa isn't even on campus yet and she is already recruiting for Coach Gray. Could something special be on the horizon for our women's team? How long can we keep Coach Gray if she gets this turned around?

If Ian goes back to Greece, there is the ultimate chance that a professional team over there offers a contract he can't refuse. Not too many big men with his feet, touch and skill set.

Refs suck! I've seen better eyes on a cyclops! J.J. is standing, not playing defense and not crashing the boards. We are step slow.

Shimmy has a couple 6-2 '06's she has to make a decision on and her male assistant is said to be close to a verbal from a 6-3, '07 kid in Kansas who is being recruited by Arkansas, Kansas and a host of others.

Check out this '07 kid that verballed to Shimmy yesterday. Tatiana Ortiz, 5'8 PG, Chicago IL, Von Steuben HS Adidas Top Ten Camp Underclass All-Star (2004), Street & Smith All-America HM (2004, 2005), IBCA All-State SM (2005). 26 ppg, 5 apg. Schools interested: Florida, Kentucky, Marquette, Missouri, St. Louis, and Wisconsin. Supposedly they are close to another committment from a 6-3 kid out of Kansas. Go Shimmy Go!!